During the past decade, Honda has won championships in CART and IRL, plus
last year's Indianapolis 500, and, despite the natural attraction of following
Toyota into NASCAR, it wants to continue in American open wheel racing. But not
in its current configuration
source:
speedtv.com
SPEEDTV.com has learned that the Japanese manufacturer, through Honda
Performance Development president Robert Clarke, is taking the initiative and
trying to end the 10-year civil war between IRL and Champ Car.
Clarke has met with IRL competition director Brian Barnhart, Champ Car president
Dick Eidswick, Champ Car executive VP Joe Chrnelich and is scheduled to meet
Kevin Kalkhoven, co-owner of Champ Car, on Monday in Los Angeles.
"I had a meeting after Motegi with my bosses about what Honda could do, from our
point of view, to see what we could do about putting open wheel racing back
together," said Clarke. "I was asked personally to get involved so I've been
meeting with people.
"For whatever reason, the fan base for open wheel racing is very small and there
are not enough people to sustain two separate series. They must come together.
"Honda feels that the very existence of open wheel racing in this country is at
risk. And if things continue as they are, both will ultimately fail."
During the past decade, Bobby Rahal, Barry Green, Derrick Walker, Roger Penske,
Gerald Forsythe, Mario Andretti and Kalkhoven have tried, and failed, to
convince IRL founder Tony George that unification is the only salvation for open
wheel racing in this country.